Israeli soldiers kill seven-month-old infant in Hebron, West Bank

On 5 June, Israeli soldiers opened fire on a vehicle near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, killing seven‑month‑old Sam Fahd Abu Haykal. The incident occurred in a city with a long history of Israeli‑Palestinian violence. The soldiers were operating under the authority of National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir, whose hard‑line policies have expanded settlement activity and police tolerance of settler attacks. Amnesty International has described the Israeli government’s actions in the West Bank as amounting to ethnic cleansing, citing the rise in illegal outposts and violence against Palestinians. The infant’s death has drawn renewed international condemnation of the settlement‑driven strategy and of the broader security approach in the territory.